Need to remove fear of coronavirus from people's mind: Bupesh Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bupesh Baghel on Sunday called for the need to remove the fear of Covid-19 from the mind of people, especially patients, amid the rising infection count in the state, an official said.

Baghel also said that the state has so far won half the battle against the pandemic and it has to be won completely without getting tired, he said.

The chief minister said this while taking stock of the coronavirus situation in the state during a review meeting with his cabinet colleagues, district collectors, Superintendents of Police (SPs) and health officials via video conference.

"With spiralling Covid-19 cases in the state, a fear factor has entered the mind of people, especially the patients, and there is a need to eliminate it. Similarly, there is a need to boost the morale of coronavirus patients admitted in hospitals," the chief minister said in the meeting.

Doctors should make regular routine rounds to follow up the status of patients in wards. Telemedicine or video/WhatsApp call can be used for giving advice, he said.

"We have won half the fight and it is the peak period of the pandemic. Under these circumstances, the war has to be won without getting tired and halting at any point. The joint efforts of health and all departments' officials and employees will naturally pay off soon," he said.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH

He asked the collectors to make proper arrangements for treatment at the district level, so that patients do not have to turn up to cities for it.

If one or two members of any family test positive, then all other family members and their close contacts should be provided prophylactic drug kits as a precautionary measure.

They should be advised to follow the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and take all necessary preventive medicines, he said.

Asymptomatic and mild symptomatic patients should advised be a to stay in home isolation and should be provided medical consultancy through online or phone calls, he said.

During the meeting, ministers also gave suggestions to contain the spread of infection, he added.

Till Saturday, the state had recorded 43,163 Covid-19 cases.

Of these cases, 22,320 were active cases as 20,487 people have been recovered and 356 have died.